The year 2024 was pretty good for gamers, as we got many outstanding games. Unfortunately, the last months weren’t free from spectacular fails and flops. Here’s our list of the biggest gaming disappointments of 2024.
Funko Fusion
- Release date: September 13, 2024
- Platforms: Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series S|X.
An action-adventure game featuring popular figurines might have seemed like an odd experiment. Nonetheless, the Lego series and Hot Wheels Unleashed have proven that video games based on toy lines can be incredibly entertaining. Having about 20 popular franchises, including Back to the Future, Battlestar Galactica, Masters of the Universe, The Office, and The Walking Dead, gave Funko Fusion a chance to provide something crazy, unique, and fun. Unfortunately, the 10:10 Games studio blew it.
Funko Fusion has its advantages, such as the story full of funny moments. However, the gameplay was buggy and required constant backtracking. The combat system also is far from perfect. As a result, the game seems more like a missed opportunity. It’s particularly clear in comparison with Astro Bot. One of the best releases of the year also mixes different franchises; even though it doesn’t deliver a revolutionary experience, everything it does, it does flawlessly. Sadly, that’s something we can’t say about Funko Fusion.
Unknown 9 Awakening
- Release date: October 18, 2024
- Platforms: PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series S|X
Some suggest it’s the worst release of the year or the century. Certainly, the action-adventure game developed by Reflector Entertainment and published by Bandai Namco isn’t that horrible. Its devastating user score on Metacritic is mainly lowered by tons of guys giving 0 points without actually playing the game but complaining that it’s “woke.” Nonetheless, there’s a long list of substantive arguments that condemn Unknown 9 Awakening to be average, at best.
The game featuring Anya Chalotra as the protagonist, Haroona, presents an intriguing world that is a part of the Unknown 9 Universe, consisting of novels, a podcast, website puzzles, and comic books. It also boasts a noteworthy ability to possess opponents and make them fight each other. On the flip side, it offers a strange combat system, outdated mechanics, and a bland plot. Unknown 9 Awakening was supposed to build upon the legacy of linear yet incredibly enjoyable games such as Uncharted 4. Instead of elevating the level, it seems inferior to those titles on virtually every level. It’s certainly disappointing for a game with such high ambitions.
Concord
- Release date: August 23, 2024
- Platforms: PC, PlayStation 5
Concord, developed by Firewalk Studios and published by Sony, came out on August 23. Its history was surprisingly brief. The game’s servers were shut down after just two weeks, and after another two months, Sony closed Firewalk Studios, killing any hopes for the game’s resurrection.
Concord wasn’t bad. At least, this is what state those few players who had a chance to play it. According to SteamDB, its all-time peak amounted to 697 people playing simultaneously. It wouldn’t be satisfying for an indie game. Hence, for a big-budget online hero shooter, it was a full-blown disaster. There were various factors contributing to such a sad outcome. Its gravest sins were the lack of marketing and asking for €40 while popular hero shooters are free. And for the dessert, the episode of the Secret Level presenting Concord’s lore premiered long after it disappeared, becoming a swan song.
Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League
- Release date: February 2, 2024
- Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series S|X, PC
Players loved Rocksteady Studios for the Batman: Arkham series and believed that Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League would deliver more of the same. However, the announcements suggested something totally different. Fans were worried because Suicide Squad was supposed to be a game-as-a-service title resembling Marvel’s Avengers. Gameplays and tests only fueled those concerns. So did several release postponements. Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League, initially scheduled for 2022, ultimately came out in February 2024.
Unfortunately, the delays weren’t enough, as the game suffered technical issues. Moreover, critics and players panned repetitive missions. Even though the story campaign is quite fun, the shortage of content prevented it from thriving as a game as a service. Warner Bros. Games tried to save the situation by putting Suicide Squad on discounts. The €70 game was even given for free to Amazon Prime subscribers only five months after the premiere. It increased the number of players but hasn’t changed the overall perception that Suicide Squad is not a game that players wanted.
Skull and Bones
- Release date: February 13, 2024
- Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series S|X, PC
The infamous Quadruple-A game from Ubisoft was supposed to dethrone Sea of Thieves. Instead, it sank right after leaving the port. Some critics praised Skull and Bones for its entertaining naval battles and beautiful graphics. Unfortunately, virtually all of them shot the most devastating cannonball – Skull and Bones was boring. Its lack of content and repetitiveness, which turn initial excitement into a routine, have prevented players from setting sail in the Ubisoft game. The price tag set at 60 USD also didn’t help.
To make matters worse, Skull and Bones was so disappointing that many players preferred to avoid other Ubisoft games, automatically assuming they were terrible. I venture to say that Skull of Bones’ failure hurt the sales of Star Wars: Outlaws and The Rogue Prince of Persia. Although many games (e.g., No Man’s Sky, Cyberpunk 2077, Batman: Arkham Knight) were able to redeem themselves after a rocky release, I doubt Skull and Bones can convince players to give it another try.
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